Tom and Diane Smith of Serra Mesa, avid cycling fans, were excited to see a top-class race in person. Photo by Chris Stone

“Tour de Qualcomm,” said Tom Smith of Serra Mesa. Devoted cycling fans, he and his wife, Diane, were the first to arrive Sunday and the last to leave. (How devoted? Before they made the 5-minute drive to the stadium parking lot, they had been watching the Giro d’Italia on TV.)

On the concrete bridge, they claimed a perfect place for their Costco lawn chairs. Looking east, the Smith saw a lead pack made up of Jacob Rathe, Oscar Clark and Dan Patton.

The Smiths were among two dozen cycling fans on the span, some following the race on their smart phones via an app or getting texts on the race progress from friends watching live at home.

“We love cycling,” said Diane, 56, an auto claims adjuster, calling the athletes “amazing” as they pursue their grueling sport. “This was the closest place for us.”